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American Chemical Society pushes its journals into digital format
July 19, 2009 | 10:48 am
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By Paul Biba
A recent press release by the ACS shows how the digitization of journals is becoming more and more important. As a matter of fact, at least for the ACS, it seems to be what the members prefer. Here are a couple of interesting snippets from the release:
Regarding a print format change to condensed print and the move to digital: Reader reaction to the print format change has been muted thus far, King says. Most admit they seldom, if ever, use the print versions beyond scanning the table of contents. Indeed, for every comment received expressing concern about the reduced size and legibility of the condensed format, others suggest ACS is not moving to an all Web-and-mobile digital publishing mode quickly enough, she notes.
Regarding reader preferences: In evaluating its actions, ACS Publications was guided by its customers and readers. Over the last decade and half, since ACS introduced its first online journals, users and subscriptions have been migrating to a Web-delivered experience. This trend has accelerated in the last three years, fundamentally changing the economics of printing and distribution for the Society’s journals. …
The ACS is adjusting its pricing so that, in the future for both individuals and libraries, incentives will be given for purchasing in digital format.
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Comments:
The availability of ACS journals to chemists has been going for at least five years, and is wonderful. Monthly I get emails listing the contents of the journals I like, with clickable links. As long as I am on campus (in Utah, where the state higher education network has a big contract with ACS to make all journals available to anyone at a state school), the pubs.acs.org website checks my IP address and delivers the .pdf. I save the ones I want to keep, or print them when I need them for class. Layout is itentical to the (now discontinued) print versions.
Absolutely fantastic deal for us chemists and physical scientists. You can even see the articles the day they are accepted, before the re-edits, for the very latest info.